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Agenda Setting in Pop Culture

Michelle Maraffio

Southern Utah University

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Ms. Marvel Comic - Kamala Khan

Kamala Khan is a comic book superhero that is slated for her own television show on

Disney+. (The Verge, 2019) She is a Pakistani American teenager who developed superhero

powers. She appeals to fans of comic books in a variety of ways. She provides a fresh new take

on the stereotypical comic book hero, being the first Muslim American hero in comic book

history. While her superhero abilities and problems are typical to the average comic book trope,

her cultural background challenges common misconceptions about what it means to be a Muslim

in America. She also gives much needed positive representation to a community with very little

in the United States. 

Agenda Setting Theory relates this type of entertainment in an interesting way. The

Marvel authors, artists and editors of this comic series are the agenda setters and gatekeepers in

this instance, and they work to frame the message in a way that is palatable to a wide audience.

In the current American culture, it is sensational to demonstrate that being a Muslim in the

United States is normal, that they can be heroes and their problems are very similar to other

Americans. This is partly because it has never been done before, but also because of the way the

media has framed Muslim people in America since 2001. When pop culture entertainment

industries distribute diverse content, the public can consider the messages. Thus, potentially

improving the perspectives of readers in less diverse communities. 

TV - Crime Drama - Cops

The television show “Cops” is about real police officers in the United States on patrol. It

features various locations and departments over its many seasons and gives a real-life

perspective of the realities and dangers that Police officers face. The first segment of this clip

shows cops pulling over a potential drunk driver. Because it is a real-life situation, it becomes
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graphic when the four or five police officers give chase and taze the suspect when he is lying on

the ground. It shows the treatment of the suspect from start to finish and can be difficult to

watch. The next scene shows white police officers pulling over two black men. It seems to be a

routine discussion, as everyone is smiling and well behaved, until one officer sees a gun in the

car. It gets more heated when one officer pulls his gun on the driver of the car and tells him not

to move. The black men are visibly afraid and follow every request, but they are still treated very

roughly. 

This show set the Agenda for many years regarding Policing in America. The television

producers, directors and editors are the gatekeepers and set the agenda for the show by showing

the clips that would make police officers appear heroic. They also tell the audience that they

should be afraid of criminals and the police are there to help them. This type of framing of the

agenda appears to reinforce negative stereotypes about poor people and people of color. All the

officers in this clip were white and portrayed positively. The show’s sensational distortion of

reality has had long lasting effects on American culture today, where people of color or people

who live in poor neighborhoods are to be feared. 

Music video - Lady Gaga “Born this Way 

Lady Gaga is one of the biggest Pop Icons in pop culture today. Her song “Born This

Way” is an anthem to all the people in the world who felt different, who felt like they didn't

belong or who may have been rejected for who they are. The video begins with a surreal

description of an alien being who gives birth to a new era of acceptance, while another Alien

gives birth to darkness. Within these opposing forces, the self-proclaimed “Mother of Monsters”

dreams up a reality where everyone belongs. The video has a lot of sexual undertones, while the

lyrics speak about self-acceptance, self-love, and direct messages for the LGBTQ community.
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This song has in many ways become an anthem for many in the LGBTQ community but is

popular among a much wider audience. 

This video and song engage in Agenda Setting by using Lady Gaga’s popularity and

credibility, to tell her audience what she wants them to think about. The message of being “Born

this way” appeals to almost all humans. So, when she is drawing the parallel of feeling different

and not accepted, to race, identity, and sexuality she is framing the message that we all feel

similarly. The agenda she is setting explains that it is very human to desire acceptance and our

differences should not matter. She also appears to send the message that she wants her audience

to love themselves. Culturally, pop icons like Gaga use agenda setting in a subtle, yet remarkable

way. They can use their platform to spread messages that are meaningful or important to them in

some way. Visually, the sexual undertones appear to appeal to the sensationalism that often

accompanies music videos. It grabs the audience’s attention, keeping them engaged while Gaga

shares her message. The Gatekeepers in this instance are the record producers, The PR teams, the

radio broadcasters, the platforms that share her videos and even google as a search tool. 
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Appendix:

Gartenberg, C. (2019, August 23). Ms. Marvel TV series will bring a live-action Kamala Khan to

Disney+. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/23/20830377/ms-marvel-tv-

series-kamala-khan-live-action-disney-plus-g-willow-wilson-bisha-k-ali

LadyGagaVEVO. (2011, February 28). Lady Gaga - Born This Way (Official Music Video).

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1FrqwZyKw&feature=youtu.be

Marvel Entertainment. (2020, June 13). How Kamala Khan Becomes an Avenger! YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAQ-pU7x0IU&feature=youtu.be

MostRandom. (2020, March 6). Cops S22. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=tRPtXjp9Rd0&feature=youtu.be